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The Best Fries You'll Ever Have (Belgian-Style)

A few months ago, I went to dinner at my friend Clare's house (home of the perfect cauliflower soup, by the way), and she and her husband served mussels and fries. Everything was delicious, but you know what actually stole the show? The tangy mayonnaise they served with the fries. So, here's how to serve delicious European-style fries for an instantly special dinner...The secret trick to making fries is...not to make them. They're a hassle, and you need a deep fryer. And they often come out soggy or bready. So instead, buy a bag of Trader Joe's Fries. Seriously! They are delicious! Then to make the Belgian-style mayonnaise, just mix regular mayo with a splash of red-wine vinegar, and stir together until you have the tangy taste you like best. Voila! You have an instant fun dinner. You can pair them with mussels, burgers, roast chicken, fish sandwiches...even just a frothy pint of beer.

Haha, funny to read our belgian fries.No the real trick about making those great belgian fries is that you have to fry them twice. That's what makes them crispy and offcourse the right kind of patatoes! Almost every Belgian will stop at a "frituur" to buy their fries after they have been on a holiday. They can be soooo good and the best thing is indeed with home made mayonaise.

After enjoying many a hot, salty paper cone of Belgian fries here in the Netherlands, I beg you not to use those puny, skinny little fries! It's just not the same, when the originals are so thick and meaty.

Love Belgian fries! Interesting thing is, fries, despite being so simple, appear in almost every cuisine. Different country, different spin.When I was growing up in Poland, we would buy fries in these little booths/kiosks. Always served in a brown paper bag. Salt only!

I totally agree about making home made fries. They can be delicious if 2x cooked, but who has the time or inclination to do that? Not me! I think this is an ideal solution for when you want the fun of fries without the hassle. I have got to try that mayonnaise combo.

I live in Amsterdam at the moment and they seriously have the best fries here! I spent some time in Brussels one weekend and the fries were insanely good as well. My Californian girlfriends think its disgusting of course to dip fries (or frites as they say here) and mayo but now I wouldn't have it ANY other way!!!!

Ooo yummm! If ever in Milwaukee, go to Hollander Café... they have fry just like this and they put them in the cute paper cone and cup. Haven't tried the Trader Joe's brand, but Alexia's All Natural fry line is TDF. MMM, fries.

I'm going to have the real-deal Belgium moules et frites in just a few weeks when I land in Brussels! I can't wait. I practically live off mussels and fries from a Belgian bar here in Philly called Monk's. It's so authentic.

Yum I've always loved putting mayo on my fries! LOL it must be the fatty in me. I actually invested in a deep fryer and you can buy those frozen bag of Oreida french fries and fry them and they come out soo crispy and delicious! I was in Amsterdam last year with my boyfriend and we spotted those Frites stations everywhere- so of course we had to stop and indulge!

Yum but it's sooo easy to make your own! Cut up any type of starchy potato and fry in a cast iron pan, in about 2" of olive oil and voila-deeelic. My Greek Momma makes them all the time, soooo good! Salt when HOT and add a little oregano too and a squeeze of lemon. Mmmm

Having just gotten back from Europe, where we stayed in Brussels as a side trip, this is timely. That said, I had the frites at several places and did not find the mayo to be extra-tangy. If anything it was LESS tangy and more creamy than what we find here. Regular mayo (which already contains vinegar) should suffice, I would think, although as another poster said, I often love to put vinegar on fries, so this sounds like its own delicious thing... just doesn't sound particularly Belgian.

They put mayo on their fries in Montreal (where I used to live), too, so this does not seem odd to me. (Plus, I grew up obsessed with putting tartar sauce on everything including fries.)

Have you seen the Rick Steves BeNeLux segment on "The Art of Flemish Fries"? Yum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgaYKInDaew. I have to say this show is part of what convinced me to put Belgium and the Netherlands next on my foreign-travel list.

P.S. I loved fries with mayo long before the idea grossed out Jules (Samuel L. Jackson) in Pulp Fiction. :)

I am addicted to potatoes and I absolutely LOVE fries. They are so good and the best snack/pick me up. You can make them salty-sweet, spicy, savory with garlic or switch up the type of potato. This sauce just adds to the amazing non-ketchup ways you can season your potatoes.

i had it with fries (and everything else for that matter) when i lived in australia. it is absolutely amazing. almost as amazing as your frozen french fry suggestion! i can't wait to try them. it would be wonderful to have a good go-to frozen fry....

The secret for making Belgian Fries is ............ you have to cook your potatoes 2 times... the first time for around 10 minutes in boil oil (around 140-150 ° celsius) then the second time just before eating into oil at around 180° celsius) until the fries become "gold" ...

You guys have starbucks we have fries joints! I go there once a week for fries, a bicky burger and something meaty fried (not sure that there is meat inside)! No other country in the world can make fries like that! And yes we put them into a pointy sack like on your photos and of course we eat it with mayonnaise! It is cheap, very greasy but I cannot live without

So this is going to be nit picky, and I apologize for that, but as an American who's been living in Brussels for the last few years, I've been taught by my Belgian friends that it's white vinegar that's preferred, not red wine. But tomato, tomata, right?

If you do have a deep fryer, making fries commes les Belges isn't that hard actually. My friend's mother recently took me under her wing to teach me the ways. Her recipe is here (http://thepetitfour.com/?p=2752). And yep, they are fried twice, just like what Sophie said!

We've always added a crushed glove of garlic (out of a garlic press is best, but a really fine mince will work, too) and a squirt of Sriracha in our mayo. It's excellent with fries and steamed artichoke! I'll try the vinegar/mayo combo asap!

So, I never, ever buy mayonnaise. It's dead easy to make so let me share with you my mayo recipe, you just won't believe how easy it is. Many people say mayo contains vinegar but not my recipe (an old family recipe), the secret is in the mustard you use. In France, i like Amora but you can't find it here so I find Trader Joe's dijon mustard the best to use. so here it goes.1 egg1 heaped table spoon of dijon mustard (the stronger the mustard the better)Mix with an electric mixer then slowly add vegetable oil until you have desired consitancy, still using the electric whisk (don't bother using a hand whisk, you'll never reach desired consistancy). add salt and pepper to taste (i like trader joe's lemon pepper best). Now, some people make it with olive oil but i hate it, it gives it a sickly taste. Try making it, you'll never look back Enjoy!